CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — Corpus Christi city leaders are preparing for a Level One water emergency that could restrict the average household to 5,200 gallons of water a month.
During a Tuesday water workshop, the city council discussed the blueprint for life under the upcoming restrictions, which could include surcharges for exceeding limits.
"September is the date when we project to be 180 days away or six months from supply not meeting demand," Corpus Christi Water CEO Nick Winkelmann said.
Corpus Christi Water is advising city customers, meaning residents, businesses, and industry, to reduce their usage significantly.
"The recommendation is a curtailment up to 25 percent," Winkelmann said.
City leaders are focusing on making it easier for residents to monitor their water usage before the restrictions take effect.
"When's the last time you looked at your usage? We don't. People are busy working, raising children. Our residents must know they have some communication. They cannot be asked to purchase a meter reader," Mayor Paulette Guajardo said.
Council members suggested adding resources, such as a call center, to assist residents as the curtailment draws closer.
"Because we hear this all the time but we still have questions they (residents) don't hear it all the time," District 4 City Council member Kaylynn Paxson said.
The council is also looking to make paying for water easier, as rates could increase this year.
"We have a really broken system for payment arrangements when people are behind on their water bills so I'm going to put it on the agenda (for next week)," District 3 City Council member Eric Cantu said.
Officials emphasized the need for city government to share the burden of the restrictions.
"Because if we're gonna ask the citizens of Corpus Christi to make sacrifices then we need to lead by example," At-Large City Council member Carolyn Vaughn said.
No official votes or decisions have been made regarding the restrictions.
"We need a lot of time to talk about it because there's a lot of things we haven't agreed upon yet," District 5 City Council member Gil Hernandez said.
City Manager Peter Zanoni said the council will vote on some of the restrictions at its April 28 meeting, with additional votes expected on May 5.
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